M&M’s is shaking up its marketing strategy after pushback over MARS making its cartoon mascots more woke or inclusive. It’s indefinitely pausing the mascots, and replacing them with comedian and actress Maya Rudolph.
M&M’s parent company MARS said it’s taking a break from the spokes-candies after backlash. Last year, the company rebranded each mascot with a new backstory and personality.
For example, they turned the “feminine” green M&M into a feminist character, with sneakers instead of go-go boots. They turned the “male” orange mascot into a character full of anxiety. And the most controversial change was adding a purple “lesbian” M&M to be more inclusive.
Critics claimed it was an example of the woke agenda going too far.
Amid the controversy, M&M’s on Jan. 23 said it’s pausing the spokes candies because it wants to bring people together, not polarize them.
Maya Rudolf will take over before the company’s Super Bowl ad next month.
NTD spoke to Will Hild, the executive director of Consumers’ Research, to hear his take on the M&M’s controversy.
